Hacking Your Language Study
巧學(xué)英語(yǔ)
My favourite tricks focus on the aspects of English that are very easy to master, and I develop ways around the parts of English that are “hard” to understand. Usually, it's not the language itself that's “hard”, but your method for studying might be causing the language to seem more challenging. If you look at those challenges in a new light then they can become much easier!
英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)的訣竅中,我最喜歡的最容易掌握,最“難”理解的部分我會(huì)重點(diǎn)擊破。一般來(lái)說(shuō),語(yǔ)言本身并不“難”,“難”的是學(xué)習(xí)的方法不對(duì),會(huì)讓一切努力事倍功半。如果你換一個(gè)角度看這些難點(diǎn),它們就會(huì)變得簡(jiǎn)單多了。
Simple Rules for Pronouncing ~ed
~ed的發(fā)音規(guī)則
One of my favourite pronunciation hacks for English learners is how to properly pronounce ~ed.
這是我最愛的英語(yǔ)發(fā)音絕招之一,即正確發(fā)出~ed這個(gè)音。
In my experience this is one of the most obvious parts of a foreign accent. Luckily, it's also one of the easiest to fix. Learning the right way to say ~ed can have a huge impact on your accent. But best of all it is very easy to learn.
以我的經(jīng)驗(yàn)來(lái)看,這個(gè)部分的發(fā)音錯(cuò)誤最明顯,不過(guò)這個(gè)部分也是最容易糾正的。如何正確發(fā)出~ed對(duì)你的英語(yǔ)口語(yǔ)有重大影響。最最重要的還是它糾正起來(lái)最最簡(jiǎn)單。
There are only three possible ways to pronounce this, and (unlike much of the English language) the rules are consistent:
~ed只有三種發(fā)音,它可不像其他英語(yǔ)發(fā)音千變?nèi)f化,它的發(fā)音規(guī)則是有跡可循的:
Rule1: After a d or t, pronounce it as [?d].
規(guī)則1:跟在d或者t后面,請(qǐng)發(fā)[?d].
In English, it's not possible to say a t and d sound immediately after each other, so we add in the vowel sound. Do this in words like wanted, painted, ended, admitted, suggested, started, etc.
英語(yǔ)中 t 和 d 連在一起不可能直接發(fā)這兩個(gè)音,所以兩者之間需要加一個(gè)元音。將這個(gè)規(guī)則用在如下單詞:wanted, painted, ended, admitted, suggested, started等。
Rule2: After the sounds p, f, s, ch, sh and k, pronounce it as [t].
規(guī)則2:如果~ed跟在p,f,s,ch,sh和k之后,請(qǐng)將其發(fā)成[t]。
These sounds cannot be followed by a d in English, so the sound changes to a [t]. Do this in words like stopped, laughed (f sound), finished, and walked.
以上一連串的字母不可以直接接d,所以需要變音為[t]。請(qǐng)發(fā)音如下單詞: stopped, laughed (尾部是f的發(fā)音 ), finished, 以及 walked。
Rule3: In all other cases, pronounce it as [d].
規(guī)則3:其他的情況下,ed發(fā)音為[d]
Take care not to pronounce the e sound in ~ed here: just pronounce the [d]. Try it in the words imagined, cleaned, enjoyed, cried, and allowed.
請(qǐng)注意,不要將~ed中的e真正發(fā)出來(lái),發(fā)[d]就好。請(qǐng)嘗試?yán)首x如下單詞:imagined, cleaned, enjoyed, cried, and allowed
The Position of Your Mouth
注意口型
Another way to remember this is to think of the position of your mouth in the part of the word before the ~ed.
還有一種方法,記住發(fā)~ed音的時(shí)候你的口型是怎樣的。
For the first rule, notice that d and t are both sounds created by putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Because they're in nearly the same spot, it's hard to move between them without adding in a vowel! Try it out.
對(duì)規(guī)則1來(lái)說(shuō),要發(fā)出d和t兩個(gè)音,都需要將舌頭頂住上腭,發(fā)音位置近乎一致。所以要連續(xù)發(fā)這兩個(gè)音是很困難的,必須要在中間加一個(gè)元音!現(xiàn)在再發(fā)音試試看吧。
For the second rule, all but one of the sounds (k) is made by putting your lips or teeth together.
對(duì)于規(guī)則2,所有的音(除了k)都需要嘴唇或者牙齒閉合。
For the third rule, most of the sounds have either a hummed sound (like n or m) or an open, vowel position (like a or o) prior to the ~ed.
規(guī)則3,跟在~ed之前,大部分的音都跟“哼”的聲音很像(像n或者m的發(fā)音),或者是一個(gè)開元音的發(fā)音位置(如a或者o的發(fā)音)。
Just remember that certain mouth positions lend themselves to being compensated for with different ways of saying ~ed, and you're good to go!
只要記住一些口型是為了迎合~ed發(fā)音而變化的,發(fā)準(zhǔn)音絕沒問題!
And if that is still too confusing?
如果你還是覺得沒弄明白的話怎么辦?
Then just remember this one rule: for the majority of cases, when you see ~ed, you should pronounce it like [d] (rather than [?d], which is only relevant after d or t). If you use this pronunciation by default when you're not sure, you're most likely to get it right.
只要記住這一條法則就行:大部分情況下,你看到~ed就發(fā)音為[d](而不是[?d],因?yàn)橹挥衐和t同時(shí)出現(xiàn)的時(shí)候才需要)。如果在你不確定的時(shí)候那就這么發(fā)音,發(fā)音正確的概率還是很高的。
Making English Easy
讓英語(yǔ)變得小菜一碟
Even if you only follow this one, easy rule, it will help you with your English pronunciation, and soon enough the looks of confusion on the faces of your English-speaking friends will turn to smiles and nods of understanding.
單單這一個(gè)絕招,就能幫你提升英語(yǔ)發(fā)音。很快你的外國(guó)朋友會(huì)舒展臉上疑惑的眉頭,一展理解的笑容,頻頻點(diǎn)頭。
This applies to all languages you may be learning, not just English. If you're also learning Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Chinese along with English, you'll find more hacks you can use right away in the FI3M language guides.
不僅是英語(yǔ),對(duì)于學(xué)習(xí)所有的外語(yǔ)這都適用。一旦你學(xué)了這幾招,語(yǔ)言學(xué)習(xí)就會(huì)飛速進(jìn)步,你就會(huì)明白為什么英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)so easy啦!
下面還有一些實(shí)用的小妙招有助于你改掉老一套的發(fā)音:
1. Learn the phonetic alphabet
1.學(xué)習(xí)音標(biāo)
Getting familiar with the phonetic alphabet will help you identify new sounds and provide you with some markers to navigate the language you want to learn. Familiarity with a language’s phonemes helps you recognize sounds that your ear isn’t "tuned" to natively. Once you can recognize these sounds, you’ll start noticing them way more often when speaking and listening in your new language.
熟悉音標(biāo)將會(huì)幫你辨認(rèn)一些新的發(fā)音并且給你提供一些標(biāo)記來(lái)駕馭你所學(xué)的語(yǔ)言。 熟悉一門語(yǔ)言的音素能夠幫助你辨認(rèn)耳朵本身不能辨認(rèn)的聲音。一旦辯認(rèn)出這些聲音,當(dāng)你聽別人說(shuō)新語(yǔ)言或者用一門新語(yǔ)言交談的時(shí)候,你就會(huì)注意他們的發(fā)音方式。
By becoming aware of the range of sounds that exist in the language you are learning, you’ll learn how to differentiate sounds that seem similar to the untrained ear, and it will make spelling easier. This can be especially helpful if you are learning mostly by reading.
通過(guò)注意你所學(xué)語(yǔ)言的聲音范圍,你將學(xué)會(huì)怎樣區(qū)分那些對(duì)于并未接受專業(yè)訓(xùn)練的耳朵來(lái)說(shuō)很相似的聲音,這樣會(huì)使拼寫更加容易。如果你大多數(shù)時(shí)間都通過(guò)閱讀來(lái)學(xué)習(xí),那么這種方法將會(huì)尤其有益。
2. Get familiar with the spoken language
2.熟悉口語(yǔ)
Switch from theory to practice: try to expose yourself as much as possible to the language you are learning. Talk as much as possible with native speakers if you have the chance. When you have trouble pronouncing a particular word, ask people to repeat it and record it on your phone. You can then replay it and train your pronunciation as often as you wish. You can also listen to the correct pronunciation on some online dictionaries so that your ear gets familiar with all the sounds that initially strike you as unusual. Listen to podcasts or stream TV shows in the language. Even if you can’t understand everything, put it on in the background when you’re doing your chores so you get used to the particular melodies and unfamiliar sounds.
從理論轉(zhuǎn)換到實(shí)踐:使你自己盡可能多地接觸你所學(xué)的語(yǔ)言。如果你有機(jī)會(huì),盡可能多和母語(yǔ)使用者交流。當(dāng)你某一個(gè)發(fā)音有問題的時(shí)候,讓別人重復(fù)它,并且用你的手機(jī)錄制下來(lái)。你可以用手機(jī)重復(fù)播放,盡可能多地練習(xí)發(fā)音。你也可以用在線的網(wǎng)絡(luò)詞典聽正確的發(fā)音,這樣你的耳朵就會(huì)對(duì)那些一開始并不熟悉的發(fā)音熟悉起來(lái)。還可以聽播客或者看電視節(jié)目來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)語(yǔ)言。即使你不能理解所有的東西,在你做家務(wù)的時(shí)候播放它作為背景樂會(huì)讓你習(xí)慣這些特殊的音調(diào)和不熟悉的聲音。
3.Identify what’s "weird" about the pronunciation
3.弄清楚“怪異”的發(fā)音
With this exposure, you’ll quickly notice that your new language has many sounds in common with your native tongue (even if those sounds are written differently). With the similarities identified, you can focus in earnest on the sounds that don’t exist in your native tongue. Resist the temptation to systematically compare these unfamiliar sounds with similar ones from your native language. This might seem like a useful shortcut, but it’s a bad habit that will make bad pronunciation even harder to correct in the long run.
使用這種方法,你很快就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)你新學(xué)的語(yǔ)言和你的母語(yǔ)有很多共同的發(fā)音(即使這些音的寫法不同)。 弄清楚發(fā)音的相似之處,你就可以把注意力集中在那些母語(yǔ)里沒有的音上面。不要試圖把這些不熟悉的音和你母語(yǔ)中熟悉的音進(jìn)行系統(tǒng)的比較。這似乎是一個(gè)有效的捷徑,但是這是一個(gè)壞習(xí)慣,它會(huì)使你的發(fā)音在長(zhǎng)期內(nèi)更難得到改正。
Ignoring the peculiar sounds of your new language will, at best, make you sound silly and, at worst, result in you actually saying the wrong words! The difference between the Spanish pero and perro is a rolled r, but they don’t mean the same thing. And if you’re learning French, people will have trouble understanding you if you don’t learn to pronounce the subtle differences between cent, sang, sens and sans, or au, aux and eau.
忽略一門新語(yǔ)言中特別的發(fā)音,最好的情況下會(huì)使你的聲音聽上去發(fā)傻不地道,最糟糕的是它會(huì)導(dǎo)致你直接說(shuō)了錯(cuò)誤的詞語(yǔ)。在西班牙語(yǔ)中pero和perro的區(qū)別就是一個(gè)卷舌的r音,但是它們的意義卻不同。如果你學(xué)法語(yǔ)時(shí),學(xué)不會(huì)cent, sang, sens 或者sans, or au, aux 和eau的發(fā)音的細(xì)微差別,人們理解你說(shuō)的話就會(huì)很困難。
If you really have trouble with one phoneme in particular, use cards. Write it down along with other similar-but-different phonemes. Repeat them aloud several times. This will help you to recognize nuances and master those small differences.
如果你對(duì)某一個(gè)特定的發(fā)音有問題,使用卡片。把它和其它相似但是卻不同的音一起寫下來(lái)。重復(fù)大聲朗讀幾次。這會(huì)幫助你辨別它們之間細(xì)微的差別,掌握它們之間微小的不同之處。
4.Listen, listen, listen!
4.聽,聽,再聽!
As mentioned in point two, the internet gives you access to plenty of audio material that can help you improve your pronunciation. Listen as much and as regularly as possible, but instead of always focusing on grammar and vocabulary, dedicate some time to the phonetic aspects of the language. Listen to short audio tracks and focus on rhythm, breaks and intonation. Try to understand what gives the sentence its fluidity and try to imitate it. If you watch a movie in your learning language, avoid reading the subtitles and keep your eyes on the actors’ mouths.
像在第二點(diǎn)中提到的一樣,互聯(lián)網(wǎng)能夠讓你接觸到許多幫助你改善發(fā)音的音頻資料,盡可能多和規(guī)律地去聽,而不是一直把注意力集中在語(yǔ)法和詞匯上?;ㄒ恍r(shí)間去學(xué)習(xí)語(yǔ)言的發(fā)音知識(shí),聽一些短的音頻,注意韻律、停頓和音調(diào)。努力去弄清楚是什么使句子變得流暢并且努力去模仿。如果你用看電影來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)一門新的語(yǔ)言,不要去看字幕,要看演員的口型。
If you find it too hard, slow down the speed of the video or audio that you are watching (most digital media players allow you to do this; you can even slow down YouTube videos). This can help you identify and separate each syllable.
如果你發(fā)現(xiàn)這樣很難,放慢你正在看的視頻或者音頻的速度(大多數(shù)的數(shù)字媒體播放器都允許你這樣做;你也可以放慢視頻播放網(wǎng)站的錄像)。這樣會(huì)幫助你辨別并且區(qū)分每一個(gè)音節(jié)。
If, on the other hand, your comprehension level is already quite good, you can challenge yourself by accelerating the speed.
另一方面,如果你的理解能力很不錯(cuò),你可以通過(guò)加快速度挑戰(zhàn)你自己。
5.Practice, practice, practice
5.練習(xí),練習(xí),再練習(xí)
Training your accent requires some skill and patience, so don’t get demotivated if it doesn’t come immediately. For maximum efficiency, your training sessions should be frequent — no longer than two days between sessions. Collect newspaper articles, movie scripts and lyrics, and record yourself while reading them aloud. Then listen and analyze: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Which of your native speaking habits are you carrying over to your new language? You can also ask native speakers for input. For example, you could upload your recordings to online communities like Judge my accent.
訓(xùn)練發(fā)音需要一些技巧和耐心,因此,如果效果不是立竿見影,請(qǐng)不要失去動(dòng)力。為了效率最大化,你的訓(xùn)練課程應(yīng)該頻繁一點(diǎn) — 課程的間隔不超過(guò)兩天。搜集報(bào)紙文章,電影劇本和歌詞,在大聲朗讀它們的時(shí)候記錄下來(lái)。然后回放并且分析:你的優(yōu)缺點(diǎn)是什么?你把母語(yǔ)的哪些習(xí)慣帶到新的語(yǔ)言中?你也可以向一些母語(yǔ)使用者尋求發(fā)音的幫助。例如,你可以把你的錄音上傳到網(wǎng)上社區(qū),如Judge my accent評(píng)判我的口音。
Accents can be tricky, but never lose hope! The more you speak and the more feedback you can get (either from yourself or native speakers), the better your accent will become.
改善語(yǔ)音面貌可能是困難的,但是絕不要失去信心!你說(shuō)的越多收到的反饋越多(從你自身或者說(shuō)本族語(yǔ)的人那里),你的語(yǔ)音面貌就會(huì)變得更好。